From the Foreign Affairs:
The Unconstrained Presidency
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/2018-08-13/unconstrained-presidency?cid=int-fls&pgtype=hpg
The well written piece on why congress is not providing checks over the presidents actions. There are several theories presented that are thought provoking. Some key snippets below:
"An inflection point in the long-term decline of congressional oversight came after 9/11, when Congress passed the Authorization for Use of Military Force, a measure intended to combat terrorism but that presidents ended up interpreting broadly. "
"But legislators have shown little appetite for seeking a new AUMF, which would constrain the president when it comes to the many counterterrorism missions the United States now conducts in places such as Somalia, Syria, and Yemen. That’s because the status quo actually suits many members of Congress. It lets them avoid voting on military operations—always risky, since they can be held accountable for their decision on the campaign trail—and it allows them to fixate on the legality of the operation without having to take a position on its wisdom."
"Can anything be done? The end of the Cold War unleashed the power of the American presidency. It may take the rise of China as a peer competitor for the American people and their leaders to realize that in order to make better foreign policy, the United States needs the wisdom and restraint offered by a Congress and a bureaucracy that have real power and serious expertise, as well as allies and international institutions whose utility is valued. The rising threat that China poses to U.S. interests could lead to a revival of congressional expertise in foreign policy, support for strengthening the United States’ diplomats, and a realization that allies and international institutions enhance U.S. power in managing the threat."
From the New Yorker
The Wind Cave
This one is for my wife - short fiction piece written by one of her favorite authors
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/09/03/the-wind-cave
The Unconstrained Presidency
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/2018-08-13/unconstrained-presidency?cid=int-fls&pgtype=hpg
The well written piece on why congress is not providing checks over the presidents actions. There are several theories presented that are thought provoking. Some key snippets below:
"An inflection point in the long-term decline of congressional oversight came after 9/11, when Congress passed the Authorization for Use of Military Force, a measure intended to combat terrorism but that presidents ended up interpreting broadly. "
"But legislators have shown little appetite for seeking a new AUMF, which would constrain the president when it comes to the many counterterrorism missions the United States now conducts in places such as Somalia, Syria, and Yemen. That’s because the status quo actually suits many members of Congress. It lets them avoid voting on military operations—always risky, since they can be held accountable for their decision on the campaign trail—and it allows them to fixate on the legality of the operation without having to take a position on its wisdom."
The AUMF is presented as part of the reason the presidents actions remain unchecked. The theory that congress has not done its part due to politically risky reactions by the public is interesting.
On checks over actions over foreign trade:
"Congress is equally reluctant to stand up to the president on trade. Despite misgivings over Trump’s protectionist measures, Democratic and Republican legislators have essentially given up on the issue. In June, Bob Corker, the Tennessee Republican who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, proposed a bill that would require the president to seek congressional approval for tariffs enacted in the name of national security. But he has not been able to gain sufficient support for the measure from fellow Republicans, who, with midterm elections looming, are reluctant to cross Trump."
From the New Yorker
The Wind Cave
This one is for my wife - short fiction piece written by one of her favorite authors
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/09/03/the-wind-cave
